Rival Rush v1.0.0
Basic Rules
The essential info to get a game going quickly. Players that want to dive in and get a general run down on how to play should use these rules. For additional details see the Images, and incredibly over-detailed Comprehensive Rules are provided to go through the game with a fine-tooth saw.
Components
- Two Players each build and shuffle 20 card decks with:
- 8 Basic Actions
- 4 Fancy Actions
- 4 Skills
- 4 Disrupts
- Each card must be unique except for Basic Actions.
- Each Player adds 4 unique Segments with a total Challenge of 8 or less to the Level Deck and shuffles it.
Setup
- Place the Segments from the Level Deck in a row with every other Segment face down
. The first Segment should be face up 
.
- Each Player places their Character at the first Segment and draws three cards.
- Randomly determine the Turn Player.
- Begin play with the first Update.
Play
- If the lead has changed, the lead Player becomes the Turn Player.
- If a Player's deck has no cards, they add their Garbage to their deck and shuffles it.
- Each Player draws two cards.
- The Turn Player may:
- Place cards face down onto any Segment except behind their Character.
- Once per turn, use their Character's Instinct. If they do, the other Player may also use their Character's Instinct.
- Then the other Player may:
- Place cards face down onto any Segment except behind their Character.
- Once per turn, use their Character's Instinct. If they do, the Turn Player may also use their Character's Instinct.
- Finally the Turn Player may place one card face down onto any Segment except behind their Character.
- For each Segment starting with the first:
- Flip cards at this Segment face up.
- If there are two or more Disrupts at this Segment, Disrupts at this Segment have no effect. Otherwise, use the Disrupt first.
- For the following steps, the Turn Player uses their cards and effects first:
- Each Player uses their Skills in any order they choose.
- Each Player uses their Actions in any order they choose to gain Moves (
, 
, 
, 
) for this Segment.
- Each Player may spend Moves to pass this Segment's objectives if their Character occupies this Segment.
- If a Character passes an Advance 1
or Advance 2 
objective, their Character advances that many Segments.
- Each Player uses any abilities or effects that trigger from advancing in any order they choose.
- After completing this process on all Segments, the Player with the Character farthest past the end Segment wins.
- If it's a tie, reshuffle all the Segments and place 3 Segments in a row. Flip the second Segment face down , place both Characters at the first Segment, and continue play.
- Discard all face up cards.
- Discard all Segments behind both Characters until 3 Segments remain.
- Each Player discards until they have 5 cards in their hand.
Notes
- A Player must use the entire effect indicated on a card before using another card.
- A Character's Instinct can only ever be used once per turn.
- Players may look at the other side of any Segment.
- Each Player's Garbage pile is public knowledge.
- The amount of cards in a Player's hand is public knowledge.
- The amount of cards placed at any Segment is public knowledge.
- Cards used at Segments are not discarded until the end of the turn, and are considered in the Play Area until then.
- Moves gained at one Segment cannot be spent at another Segment.
- If a Player's deck is empty, during the next Update they will shuffle their Garbage into their Deck.
Images
- Play Area
- Basic Action
- Fancy Action
- Skill
- Disrupt
- Character
- Segment
- Rules Card A
- Rules Card B
Questions & Answers
- How is the Turn Player randomly determined?
- The most common way is each Player rolls a six sided die. The Player with the highest roll chooses if they want to be Turn Player or not.
- What happens with an Action card that has / or / on it?
- This is a Flex Move. When an Action card with a Flex Move is used, the Player that used it may choose either option. For example, for / the Player may choose or when the card is used.
- What happens when trying to look at cards from a deck with no cards, or not enough cards?
- A Player looks at as many cards as they can from their deck when their deck does not have enough cards to satisfy the full amount. For example, Plan of Action has a Player look at the top three cards of their deck. If their deck only contains two cards, they look at two cards. If their deck contains no cards, then Plan of Action will have no effect.
- What happens if an effect has a Player discard a card, and they cannot?
- If a card effect requires a Player to discard a card, and they cannot, the rest of the card effect does not happen. For example, Meat Boy: Relentless Fury's instinct is to discard a card, then draw a card. If the Player using this effect cannot discard a card, then they cannot draw a card with the rest of the effect.
- What happens if a Player only has one card left in their deck during the Draw Phase?
- A Player draws as many cards as they can from their deck up to two cards. If a Player's deck only has one card remaining in the Draw Phase, they draw that single remaining card, and their deck will be empty until the next Update Phase.
- What does playing a card on a Segment mean exactly?
- Putting a card face up on a Segment. The card's effect will be used when that Segment's cards are being used during the Rush Phase. For example, when a Skill or Disrupt indicates that a Player may play an Action card on a Segment, they may put an Action card face up on that Segment. Then during the Action Step, that Action card will be used along with any other Action cards on that Segment.
- Can a Player put down cards ahead of their Character?
- A Player may put any number of cards face down at any Segment except behind their Character. Characters may advance any number of times per turn, so setting up cards ahead of them can be a good way to gain ground.
- Can Players use modified or different rules?
- This is a card game, so Players can really play however they like. However, the rules listed in this document are the current official rules, and should be used in any sort of competitive play, like when Team Meat eventually hosts the 10 million dollar World Series of Rival Rush in Dubai. Stay tuned for more details.
Glossary
- Jump
- A basic type of Move usually gained from using Action cards.
- Punch
- A basic type of Move usually gained from using Action cards.
- Dive
- A basic type of Move usually gained from using Action cards.
- Slide
- A basic type of Move usually gained from using Action cards.
- Any
- A special type of Move requirement which means , , , or may be spent to satisfy it.
- Advance 1
- A special type of Move requirement which means a Character must have completed the Advance 1 Objective .
- Objective
- A task that is completed by spending a specific set of Moves. The Moves required to complete an objective are listed on Segment cards. Each Segment has a primary, and bonus objective. The icon at the top of each list of Moves indicates the reward for completing the objective.
- Primary Objective
- The leftmost objective indicated on a Segment.
- Bonus Objective
- The rightmost objective indicated on a Segment.
- Advance 1 Objective
- When a Character completes this objective by using the Moves listed below the icon, that Character advances forward one Segment.
- Advance 2 Objective
- When a Character completes this objective by using the Moves listed below the icon, that Character advances forward two Segments. This is still only considered advancing one time.
- Face Up
- Indicates that a Segment is face up.
- Face Down
- Indicates that a Segment is face down.
- Challenge
- A number that appears inside the face up or face down icons which indicates the difficulty of the Segment. At the start of a game a Player may only contribute unique Segments with a total Challenge of eight or less to the Level Deck.
- Basic Action
- A type of card when used adds a single Move to the Cache of the Segment it was used on.
- Fancy Action
- A type of card when used adds one or more Moves to the Cache of the Segment it was used on. Some Fancy Actions have special requirements in order to be used. These requirements must be met when attempting to use the card, otherwise the card has no effect.
- Skill
- A type of card that manipulates the Play Area in some way that usually benefits the Player using it. The text on the card indicates what effects happen when the card is used. A Player must fully complete the effect on the card before using another card.
- Disrupt
- A type of card that manipulates the Segments, or Play Area in some way that usually interferes with a Player's Rival. The text on the card will indicate what effects happen when the card is used. A Player must fully complete the effect on the card before using another card. If multiple Disrupts are used on the same Segment, all Disrupts on that Segment are nullified and have no effect.
- Character
- A type of card that represents a Player's progress through a level. Each Character has unique abilities that can be utilized during play.
- Segment
- A type of card that represnets a small portion of a level.
- Action
- A term that includes both the Basic Action and Fancy Action card types.
- Instinct
- An ability on a Character card that can be used once per turn by Character's controlling Player.
- Deck
- A face down private pile of cards. A Player creates their deck before the game is played, and it is comprised of four unique Skills, four unique Disrupts, four unique Fancy Actions, and eight Basic Actions. During the Update Phase if a Player's deck is empty, they add all the cards from their Garbage to their deck, and shuffles it.
- Level Deck
- A pile of cards used for creating the row of Segments at the beginning of the game, and again used when entering Final Rush modes in the case of a draw. This deck is comprised of eight total Segments, with four contributed from each Player. The four Segments contributed by each Player must be unique, and must have a total Challenge rating of eight or lower.
- Garbage
- A face up public pile of cards. Cards that are discarded are placed into the Garbage.
- Deleted
- A face up public pile of cards. Cards that are deleted are placed into Deleted. Deleted cards are considered removed from the game, and do not shuffle back into a Player's deck when the deck has no remaining cards.
- Hand
- A private set of cards that a Player can use during the game. Usually cards from a Player's hand are placed face down at Segments during the Ready Phase. The maximum hand size is five cards, and during the End Phase a Player that has more than their maximum hand size must discard cards until they do not exceed the maximum hand size.
- Draw
- Moving a card from the top of a Player's deck to their hand.
- Dump
- Moving a card from the top of a Player's deck to the Garbage.
- Discard
- Moving a card to the Garbage.
- Delete
- Moving a card to Deleted, or removing a card from the game.
- Look At
- When a Player looks at a certain number of cards, they view those cards without revealing them to their Rival, but does not add them to their hand. The cards remain in the pile or zone they were in before being looked at unless otherwise specified.
- Reveal
- When a Player reveals a certain number of cards, they view those cards and also show the cards to their Rival, but does not add them to their hand. The cards remain in the pile or zone they were in before being revealed unless otherwise specified.
- Move
- A resource that is spent on completing the objectives on Segments.
- Flex Move
- A special type of Move that appears on some Fancy Action cards indicated with a forward slash. When a Player gains a Flex Move, they must choose only one of the Moves divided by the slash.
- Cache
- Unspent Moves that are gained from Action cards, or other effects. The Cache is unique for each Segment, so Moves that are gained and unspent on one Segment cannot be spent on another.
- Activate
- Starting to use an effect, usually from a card. This could mean the effect of a Disrupt card, a Skill Card, a Character's ability or Instinct, or gaining Moves from an Action card. After activating an effect, a Player then resolves that effect.
- Resolve
- Executing an activated effect. An effect must be activated before it can be resolved.
- Use
- A shorter way to describe activating and resolving a card effect. Using a card essentially means activating, then resolving all of its effects. For example, using a Disrupt card means activating it after it's been flipped face up, and resolving it by executing the effect indicated on the card.
Comprehensive Rules
These rules provide as much detail as possible for playing the game. Players that want to play the game like serious competitors and compete for the World Rival Rush Championship should reference these rules.
Components
- Each Player must have a twenty card deck comprised of:
- Four unique Fancy Actions
- Four unique Skills
- Four unique Disrupts
- Eight Basic Actions
- Each Player adds four unique Segment cards with a total Challenge of eight or lower to the Level Deck.
Setup
- Super Meat Boy Rival Rush is played with two Players playing head to head sitting across from each other. Each player provides their own constructed twenty card deck, their Character, and four Segments.
- Shuffle the Level Deck, then place each Segment from the Level Deck in a row face up across the Play Area between each Player. With the first Segment of the level face up , flip every other Segment face down .
- Each Player places their Character at the first Segment. The first Segment is the same for each Player.
- Randomly determine the Turn Player. The Turn Player activates and resolves their effects first, and places their cards down first during the Ready Phase.
- Each Player shuffles their deck, then draws three cards for their opening hand.
- Play begins with the first Update Phase.
Play
- If the lead changed, the Player in the lead becomes the Turn Player.
- If a Player’s deck has no cards left, they add their Garbage to their Deck and shuffle it.
- Activate and resolve any abilities that happen during the Update Phase.
- Continue to the Draw Phase.
- Each Player draws two cards from their Deck.
- The number of cards a Player currently holds in their hand is public knowledge.
- Once all Players are finished drawing cards, continue to the Ready Phase.
- Starting with the Turn Player, each Player may:
- Place cards face down at any Segment except behind their Character.
- Once per turn, activate and resolve their Character’s Instinct.
- In response, the other Player may also activate and resolve their Instinct.
- Pass priority to the other Player.
- When the Off-Turn Player passes priority back to the Turn Player, the Turn Player may:
- Place one additional card face down at any Segment except behind their Character.
- Once per turn, activate their Character’s Instinct if they have not yet.
- Continue to the Rush Phase.
- Unless otherwise stated, a Character’s Instinct may only be activated once per turn.
- Cards that are in the Play Area at the start of the Ready Phase cannot be moved.
- Cards that are in the Play Area when a Player passes priority cannot be moved.
- How many cards a Player has placed on each Segment is public knowledge.
- Starting with the first Segment, for each Segment:
- Flip Step
- Each Player flips their face down cards at this Segment face up.
- Disrupt Step
- If this Segment has more than one face up Disrupt card on it, all Disrupts for this Segment are nullified, and have no effect.
- If there is only one Disrupt card face up at this Segment, activate and resolve it.
- Skill Step
- Starting with the Turn Player, each Player activates and resolves their face up Skill cards in any order they choose.
- A Skill card must fully resolve before the next can be activated.
- Action Step
- Starting with the Turn Player, each Player activates and resolves their face up Action cards in any order they choose.
- Some Action cards have special requirements to activate. These requirements must be met when activating a face up Action card on this Segment.
- If an Action card is successfully activated, it resolves and adds the Moves indicated on the card to its controller’s Cache for this Segment.
- Actions added to the Cache for this Segment cannot be used on any other Segment.
- Advance Step
- If a Player’s Character occupies this Segment, they may spend Moves from their Cache for this Segment to clear the primary, or bonus objectives. Some bonus objectives require the Player to also clear the primary objective.
- Starting with the Turn Player, if a Player clears an objective and the reward is Advance 1, their Character advances one Segment. If the reward is Advance 2, their Character advances two Segments instead of one.
- Each Player’s Cache for this Segment is emptied.
- Starting with the Turn Player, any Character abilities that are triggered by advancing now activate and resolve. Any Moves added at this point are added to the Player’s Cache for the Segment that their Character now occupies.
- Once all cards at all Segments have been resolved, if any Player has advanced their Character past the end Segment, they win the game.
- If both Players have progressed their Character past the end Segment, the Player that has advanced farthest past the last Segment wins. If both Players advanced the same amount past the end, go to Final Rush, and continue play.
- Continue to the End Phase.
- Each Player discards their face up Action, Disrupt, and Skill cards.
- If a Player has more than their maximum hand size (five) in their hand, they discard cards until they have no more than their maximum hand size.
- If there are more than three Segments remaining, discard any Segments behind the backmost character to the Completed Segments pile.
- Continue to the next turn beginning with the Update Phase.
- Shuffle all Segments back into the Level Deck, then place three Segments down and flip the second Segment face down. Place both Characters at the first Segment.
- If both Players progress their Character past the end Segment the same amount past the last Segment, restart Final Rush, but instead it is now Final Final Rush. If this happens again, it’s Final Final Final Rush, and so on, until one Player wins, or the inevitable heat death of the universe.
Clarifications
- Arrogance
- When advancing a character while the effects of Arrogance are active, a Player can choose to use their Character's ability that triggered from advancing, and the effects of Arrogance in any order.
- Last Word
- The effect of drawing a card with Last Word happens after your Rival has advanced their Character, and has resolved all of their effects triggered by the advancing.
- Dr. Fetus: Infallable Genius
- The ability that is triggered by flipping a Disrupt card face up will happen for each Disrupt card flipped up.
- Meat Ninja: Impending Paragon
- The ability that is triggered by flipping a Disrupt card face up will happen for each Disrupt card flipped up.
- Squirrel Scurry: Chaos Ensues
- The effect of returning all cards to a Player's hand and randomly discarding happens instead of discarding that Player's face up cards to the Garbage.
- Bandage Girl: Expert Intent
- The ability that is triggered by advancing may be repeated after choosing to discard the revealed Action card. Otherwise, the card is revealed, and then placed back on top of the deck.
- Line 'em Up
- The effect may be repeated after choosing to play the Action card on a Segment, otherwise the card is revealed and then placed back on top of the deck.
- Time to Choose
- The Player that is choosing the cards must choose as many cards as they can up to two. For example if a Player only has one card remaining in their deck when they activate Time to Choose, only one card is revealed, and their Rival must choose that card to add to their hand.
- Plan of Action
- If less than three cards remain in a Player's deck, a Player may look at their remaining cards up to three and choose one if possible.
- Drive
- Drive requires a number of actions be activated beforehand. Activating Action cards happens during the Action Step of the Rush Phase. Cards like Replay, which adds the Moves from an Action to a Player's Cache, do not activate the Action cards.
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